Signoes



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

M. GARDNER & A. LOVEDAHL.

MACHINE FOR FORMING AND ATTAOHING OLASPS T0 STRIPS.

Patented June 21, 1887.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. M. GARDNER & A. LOVEDAHL. MACHINE FOR FORMING AND A-TTACHING ULASPS T0 STRIPS. No 365,251. Patented June 21,1887.

0 v 6. A A 4 r/ v 9 I 4. j w. A, E wig. In; A w a f I A 1% A J7 ;G A M a A EZ/V/Z. Z6? V x z .12. l F 4? E L Q D8, 1 v a w A ZZZII E4311? 4 QLLQ r r UNITE STATES MARSHALL GARDNER AND AXEL LOVEDAHL, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, AS

SIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND SAME PLACE.

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO JAMES STONE, OF

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,251, dated June 21, 1887. Application filed September 27, 1886. Serial No. 214,579. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, MARsHALL GARDNER and AXEL LOVEDAHL, both of Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Applying Metal Clasps; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specificatlon.

This invention relates to a machine for applying metallic clasps or binders to strips or strands, either for connecting the same end to end, or for other purposes.

The machine herein shown is more particularly intended for use in connecting together strips of bamboo, such as are employed as stiffening for corsets; but a machine embodying the same general features of construction may be employed for applying metal clasps to other objects for other purposes.

The invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the same, taken upon line 00 a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 4.- is a plan section taken upon line 00 a: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail section taken upon line :1 y of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a part of the machine, hereinafter described. Fig. 7 is a detail section taken upon line 2 z of Fig. 3. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are diagrams illustrating changesin the position of parts of the machine during the operation thereof. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a joint formed bya metal clasp, such as is made and applied by the machine shown.

In the said drawings, A indicates the main frame of the machine, consisting, as herein shown, of a flat bed-plate, A, and an upwardly-extending part or standard, A preferably cast integral with each other, and provided with suitable guide apertures and bearings for the several parts of the machine. The said frameAis,as shown,supported on atable, A; but it may be sustained or supported in practice in any other manner found convenient or desirable.

The operative parts of the machine consist in their main features of means for cutting the metal strip into short lengths to form blanks from which the metal clasps are made, together with opposing relatively movable parts or dies,which operate to bend the metal about the bamboo or other strips to which the clasps are attached.

. In the accompanying drawings, B indicates as a whole a lower die, parts of which are movable in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter described; and 0 indicates another die, which is bodily moved toward and from the die B, and is composed of two parts, which are movable relatively to each other.

D is the stationary part or anvil which forms the middle of the working-surface of the die B, and E E are downwardly-yielding bars or prongs, located at either side of said part D, and adapted to stand normally with their up per edges above the top surface of the said part D.

The upper die, 0, is provided with a central working part or plunger, F, made of approximately the same size as and arranged in opposition to the stationary part D of the die B, and two outer parts or prongs, G G, arranged at opposite sides of the plunger F, and in opposition to the movable or yielding bars or prongs E E of the said die B.

The machine shown is adapted for operating upon a rectangular blank of considerable width in proportion to its length, and the working-surfaces of the anvil D and plunger F are therefore made rectangular in form and of approximately the same size in theirlarger dimensions as the width of the blank-strip and of the same width as the bamboo strips, about which the clasp is to be placed. The ends or working-faces of the bars or prongs E E and G Gare similarly rectangular in form and of the same length as the anvil D and plunger F.

In the particular construction of the several parts herein illustrated the anvil D of the die B forms part of a horizontal plate, D, Fig. 6, which is secured by screws d to the top sur-- face of the bed-plate A of the frame. Said plate D is provided with vertical recesses d d*, I

extending vertically through it at both sides of the anvil D' to afford passage of the bars or prongs E E. Said bars or prongs E E are attached to or formed upon a sliding block or head, E, constructed to slide vertically in a guide-passage, A extending through the bedplate D, and formed partially by means of a tubular depending projection, A which is cast upon the said bed-plate A to give suitable length to the said guide-passage A. To the head E is secured the .upper end of a vertical spindle, E, which passes downwardly through the guide-passage A and through a guide sleeve or thimble, a, secured in the lower end of said guide-passage A Said spindle E is provided upon its lower end with a head,

e, and between the head E and the said sleeve a is placed a spiral spring, E tending to maintain the said head and the prongs E E at the upward limit of their movement, the head 6 of the spindle E serving as a stop to limit the upward movementof the said'plunger under the action of the spring. The spindle E is preferably connected with the head E by a-screwthreaded connection, and the head 6 is slotted for the application of a screw-driver, whereby the position of the upper ends of the prongs E may be adjusted as desired.

The prongs G G of the upper die, 0, are formed upon the lower end of a tubular cylindric slide-bar, G, which is mounted in bearings a a,formed in suitable horizontal arms or projections, A A, upon the upper part or standard, A of the frame. said upper die is attached to the lower end of a cylindric rod, F, which is constructed to slide in the correspondingly-shaped hollow interior of the sliding bar G. The lower or working part of the said' plunger-rod F is rectangular, and the prongs G G of the said upper die are of similar shape, and are located in contact with the flat sides of the part F, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, the cross-sectional form of the said plunger and prongs corre sponding with the shape of the working-faces thereof, the construction of which has been hereinbefore described. The plunger-rod F and the slide-bar G are held normally at the upward limit of their vertical movement by means of a spiral spring, I, placed around the guide-bar G between the top of the frame beam A, and a pin, I, inserted transversely through the said slide-bar G and the rod F. Said slide-bar is slotted, as indicated at g g, Figs. 2 and 3, toallow a required downward movement of. the plunger F independently of the slide-rod G. For actuating said slide-bar and plunger, cams J J are provided, which are connected with and actuated by a lever, J, said cams being mounted upon a pivot-pi n, J secured in upwardly extending lugs or ears of the frame, and located over the said plungerrod and slide-bar. The cam J is constructed to operate upon and actuate the rod orplunger F, and two cams, J, are provided one at each The plunger F of' side of the cam J in such position as to operate upon the tubular slide-bar G independently of said plunger. The said slide-bar is pro vided with notches or slots 9 g beneath the cam J ,to allow thelatter cam to pass below the top of the said slide-bar without striking the latter. Said cams J and J are so shaped as to give certain relative movements to the plunger and prongs G G in a manner and for the purposes hereinafter fully described.

The blank for forming the clasp is preferably cut from a metal strip by means of the lower end of one of the prongs G of the upper die operating in connection with a cutter, K, secured to the bed-plate A of the frame, exterior to one of the slots, (1, in the'plate D, through which the prongs E E pass, as clearly shown in the drawings, Figs. 3 and 4. The metal strip is fed to the machine shown at the side thereof adjacent to the frame-standard,

. and desirably through an aperture, 0., formed in said standard. Inthis construction the cutter K is located at the side of the bendingdies adjacent to the, frame-standard, and a guide-channel, L, is provided for guiding the' strip to the cutter and dies, herein shown as formed in the upper surface of a projection or rib, a, cast upon the top surface of the bedplate A of the machine, as clearly seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the said rib or projection beingextended to the point adjacent to the cutter K and provided with a fiat vertical face against which said cutter is secured, as clearly shown in the drawings. The top edge of the cutter is arranged approximately in the same horizontal plane as the bottom of the guide-groove L, so that a metal strip thrust forward through said groove will pass over said cutter and may be severed by the said cutter and the coacting prong Got the upper die in the downward movement of the latter. a I

For the purpose of limiting the forward movement of, the strip, so that a piece of suitable length to form a clasp shall in every'instance be cut therefrom, an upwardly extending block or stop, D, is formed upon the plate D in position to encounter the advanced end of thestrip, the vertical face or surface d of said stop being preferably arranged in alignment with the adjacent outer surface of the pron g. E, as clearly shown in the drawings, Figs. 3 and 4. The metal strips from which the clasps are formed may be fed to the machine by hand; but preferably an automatically-acting feed device is provided, which is hereinafter described.

For the purpose of clamping and holding the plate D against the cutter K, so as to bring and hold said plate accurately in working position when placing the parts together, a setdevice made as above described, the metalstrip is fed to the machine at a time when the operating-lever J is thrown upward and forward and the slide-bar G and the plunger F are lifted, the cams J and J being provided with peripheral parts or surfacesj j, approaching nearest to the pivot J 3 of the lever at points which are engaged with the said rod and plunger when the lever is in the position mentioned, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The first operation produced by the machine is the cutting of the short piece or blank to form the clasp from the blank-strip, and this is accomplished byapreliminary downward movement of the slidebar G and the prongs G G thereof, caused by the action of prominences jj upon the cams J, which prominences act upon the said slide-bar G so as to force the lower edges or points of the prongs G G below the edge of the cutter K, thereby severing the blank from the strip. A continued motion of the actuating-lever and cams then allows the prongs G G to rise, the slide-bar G passing to partj j of the cams J J, which approach the center of motion thereof, and at the same time an outwardlyextended part or prominenceof the cam J acts upon the plunger-rod F to force the plunger downward past the prongs G G until the lower end of said plunger reaches a point adjacent to the top of the anvil D of the lower die. The position of the several parts of the apparatus at this time is clearly shown in the diagram Fig. 8, in which 8 indicates the metal blank in position between the dies, said blank, by the downward motion of the plunger above described, having been bent into a U shape, with its points upward, by the combined action of the prongs E E of the lower die and the said plunger F. Preferably, the bamboo or other strip or strips to which the clasp is to be applied are inserted above the blank 8 before the plunger F descends thereon, so that the said ends of the bamboo strips are forced downwardly between the prongs E E with the blank, which latter is thereby bent around and caused to closely embrace the adjacent parts of said strip or strips. The position of the bamboo strip is clearly indicated at t in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. After the plunger F has been depressed in the manner described, a fart-her movement of the actuat ing-lever carries the plunger-rod F past the prominencej of the cam J and brings it upon a part, 3' of the said cam, which part j approaches the center of rotation of the cam, and thereby allows the said plunger to rise. The prongs G G, at the time the plunger F is being caused to descend, as described, are lifted by the action of the cam-surfacesfj, above described, sufficiently to allow the upwardly-bent ends of the blank 8 to swing inwardly past the lower end of said prongs. After the plunger and prongs G G have been lifted, as above described, the parts will be in the position indicated in Fig. 9, the slide-bar G and plunger-rod F being at such time in contact with the surfaces J and j of the cams J and J, respectively. From the points at which the parts are held in the position last described the surfaces of the cams J and J are deflected outwardly or away from the axis of the cam, as indicated at f and as the actuating-lever is farther moved the slide-bar and plunger-rod, riding upon the said surfacesfj, are thrown downwardly at the same or approximately the same speed, the lower or working end of the plunger F being retained considerably above the lower end of the prongs G in such downward movement, so that the inner sur face of said prongs and the lower surface of the said plunger together form a recess adapted to engage and bend inwardly the upwardlyprojecting free ends of the blank 8, held in the lower die, in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 10. To facilitate the bending inwardly of the ends of the blank, the lower end or working surface of the plunger F is preferbly made hollow or concave, and the top surface of the anvil D is also preferably shaped in the same manner; but in machines made for other pur poses than that for which the one shown is intended the top of said anvil may be made of other shape.

The lower ends of the prongs G G are preferably inwardly inclined or beveled, as shown, so as to insure the entrance of the ends of the blanks between the said prongs and to facilitate the inward bending of said ends of the blank. The upper ends of the prongs E E are, as shown, similarly beveled; but this construction is not essential to the general operation of the device. The downward movement of the said plunger and prongs is continued after the partshave assumed the position above described, and, as shown in Fig. 10, until the prongs G G strike the yielding parts or prongs E E of the lower die, which latter are thrust downwardly by the said prongs G G until the plunger F has closed the free ends of the blank 8 about the bamboo strip or strips and forces or compresses the said blank and the strips firmly against the stationary part D of the lower die, so as to firmly clamp the clasp upon the strips. The position of the parts at the termination of the downward movement of the part of the upper die is clearly indicated in Fig. 10. The clasp formed by the machine described is clearly shown in the perspective view, Fig. 11, in which S indicates the finished clasp, and T T the adjacent ends of two bamboo strips secured together with said clasp in the manner shown. Theends of the clasp illustrated are arranged to meet end to end or abut; but by the use of a blank of sufficient length and suitable modifications in the pro portions of the parts of the machine the ends of the clasp may be overlapped more or less, as desired.

Any suitable feeding device may be employed for moving the metal strip inwardly to the machine, that herein shown being made as follows: 0, Figs. 1 and 5, is a feed-roller located with its lower surface in alignment with the guide-groove L upon the part A .of' the machine-frame, said feed-roller preferably being arranged in opposition to a freely-rotating bearing-roller, 0', provided with journals or trunnions 0, which rest in open hearings in the machine-frame. The said bearing-roller- O is, as herein illustrated, located in anopeningor depression, A", in ,a part, A", of the frame-casting, and the bearings 0 are formed a in theside walls of said recess A". The feedroller 0 is desirably attached to a shaft, 0, having hearings in a depending lug, A .cast upon the arm A of the frame. Upon the', outer end of the said shaft 0 is attached a{ ratchet-wheel, O and pivoted upon the .outer, face-of the frame-standard A isa horizontal. lever, P, which is mounted upon stud, 1),? secured in said frame-standard, and to the outer end of which power is applied for mov- 1 ing the feed-wheel. The Sllld 10 passes through the lever at a point near its inner end, and said inner end of the lever is located vertically above one side of the ratchet-wheel O Piv- 1 oted to the saidinner end of the lever is a, pawl, P, adapted to engage at its lower end the said ratchet-wheel a spring, p, being attached to the lever P and arranged to bear upon the pawl P, so as to retain the latter in engagement with the said ratchet-wheel. It is obvious from the construction described that whenrthe lever P is moved .or vibrated the ratchet-wheel O, and the feed-wheel 0, connected therewith, will be moved a distance corresponding with the extent of movement of said'lever.

For moving the actuating-lever J of the machine, we preferably employ a rod, J, which extends downward to a suitable treadle or foot- 1ever, J as clearly shown in Fig. 1, a spring, J, being attached to the said foot'lever and the table supporting the machine insuch -man-. ner as to retain the said rod J and the footlever, together with the actuating-lever J, at the upward limit of their movement. In order to actuate the lever P of the feed device when this means of operating the lever J is employed, said lever P is extended outwardly to a point adjacent to the rod 'J, and upon the said rod J is placed a pin or stop. J, adapted to engage the lever P, so as to lift the outer end of the latter at each upward movement of said rod. By this construction it is entirely obvious that .after each actuation of the lever J the feed-rollers will be moved in the return or upward movement of thesaid lever J, so as to feed forward the blank-strip into position for the cutting of a new blank therefrom in the next downward movementof the upper die.

ticular constructionillustrated in the details of the machine, or in the means for operating these-veral plungers or diesby which the bend- :ingiof the metal claspis accomplished, except as specifically set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention.

1. In a machine :for the purpose set forth,

the combination of. a lower die having a stationary middle part tor anvil and two yielding parts or prongs, an upper die comprising a middlepart or pl-u ngeropposi ng the said anvil, and ,two laterally-arranged partsor prongs opposingthe yieldingprongs of the lower die, and means for independently actuating said plunger and prongs-of the upper die, substantiallyas described.

'2. Ina machine of the characterset forth, the combination of a lower die having a stationary middle part or anvil and two downwardly-yieldinglateral parts or prongs, an upper die comprising a middle part or plunger opposing the said anvil, and .two laterally-an ranged parts or prongs opposing the yielding prongs of thelower die, means for independ ently actuating saidplunger and prongsof the upper die, and a stationary cutter operating in connection with :one of said prongs of the upper'die for severing a blank from a strip of metal fed to the machine.

3; In a machineof thecharacterset forth, the combination of a lower die having a stationary middle part or anvil and two yielding parts or prongs, an ,upper'die comprising a middle part or plunger opposing said anvil, and two laterally-arranged partsor prongs opposing the yielding prongsof the lower die, a slide-bar sustaining .the'said prongs of the upperdie, and means for actuating said plunger and slide-bar, consisting of aspring or springs applied to liftthe said plunger and slide-bar,

and cams acting severally upon the said plunger and slide-bar fordepressing the latter, substantially as described.

4.. The combination,with the machine-frame comprising'a bed-plate, A, of a plate, D, attached to said bed-plate and provided with a central part formingan anvil, D, and with apertures or recesses dd at opposite sides of said anvil, prongs E E, extending upwardly throughsaid recesses d d and yieldingly supported from beneath, a plunger, F, and prongs GG, independently movable toward and from said anvil and the prongs E E, and means for actuating saidplunger and prongsGG, substantially as described.

'5. ThecombinatiQm-withthemachineframe comprising a'bedi plate, A, of aplate, D, at

tached to said bed-.plateand Provided with a central part forming an anvil, .D, and with apertures or recesses ducl at, opposite sides of IlC said anvil,yielding;prongs EE,,extending up- I wardly through said recesses 11 d*, a plunger,

F, and prongs GG, independently movable toward and fnomsaidanvil and the prongs E E, and a cutter, K, fixednto the bed plate ad- .jacent to the plate D andconstructed to coact with one of the prongs G G for severing blanks from a metal strip, substantially as described.

6. The combination,with the machine-frame, of an anvil, D, prongs E E, located at opposite sides of said anvil, a sliding head, E, mounted in the frame and sustaining said prongs, a spring applied to yieldingly support said head and prongs, a plunger, F, and prongs GG, opposing the said anvil D and prongs E E, and means for actuating said plunger F and prongs G G, substantially as described.

7. The combination,with the machine-frame, of a lower die comprising an anvil, D, and yielding prongs E E, an upper die consisting of a plunger, F, and prongs G G, a tubular slide-bar, G, mounted in the machine-frame and sustaining said prongs G G, a plunger-rod, F, extending upwardly through the slide-bar G, a spring or springs applied to throw said slide-barand plunger-rod upwardly,and means applied to the upper ends of said slide-bar and plunger-rod for actuating said bar and rod, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the machine frame, of a lower die consisting of an anvil, D, and yielding prongs E E, located at opposite sides of the anvil, an upper die comprising a plunger, F, and prongs G G, means for actuating said plunger F and prongs G G, a stationary cutter, K, coacting with one of the prongs G G, and a stop, D", located at the side of the lower die opposite to that at which the cutter is located for limiting the advance of a strip fed to the dies, substantially as described.

9. The combination,with the machine-frame, ofa lower die consisting of an anvil, D, and yielding prongs E E, an upper die comprising a plunger, F, and prongs Gil means for actuating said plunger and prongs, a stationary cutter, K, coacting with one of the prongs G G, a guide-passage, L, directing a blank-strip over the cutter and lower die, and a feed device constructed to advance the said strip with an intermittent motion, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

MARSHALL GARDNER. AXEL LOVEDAHL. VVitnessesi WARREN TYLER, FRANK A. TYLER. 

